Crimson Phoenix

Thirteen stood before Angie, a faint smile playing on her lips. The military helmet, taken from Seventeen's head, was slightly too large for her, obscuring even her mouth. "Since you are an intelligent woman, you ought to know what choice to make at this very moment!"

Angie's beautiful eyes flickered, then she shook her head decisively. "I will not help you deal with Alex!"

Thirteen shrugged, a mocking chuckle escaping her lips. "Fourteen, did you hear that? Our little friend here is trying to milk some benefits for herself! The allure we offer isn't enough, so she'd rather die than cooperate… What a cunning yet adorable little imp!" Though their recovery was aided by the Life Shortcut, Thirteen and Fourteen had only regained their early Tenth-rank cultivation. With this level, they were still insufficient to contend with Du Chen and Steve, so they decided to alter their approach!

From behind, Fourteen tightened his grip on Angie's neck, his voice chilling. "You possess no leverage for negotiation with us!"

Angie merely smiled. "If I refuse to cooperate while in your grasp, I shall die! But if I aid you against Alex, and the Huhuhu Beasts eventually breach the bunker, I'll still meet my end! Since death awaits me regardless, why should I betray my kin and earn eternal infamy merely to assist you?"

Thirteen patted Angie's cheek, a glint in her eyes. "Such an adorable little imp. I like you!"

Angie's expression subtly shifted. "You… find me appealing? Heh heh, within this City of Penance, I am undeniably the most beautiful, save for Heidi. Should you allow me to become your woman, I might indeed consider assisting you!"

Thirteen was utterly speechless for a moment, then burst into laughter, removing her helmet. "You presume I am a woman?" Angie faltered. "A woman could work just as well! I've heard tales of noblewomen in the human realms often taking young maidens as their companions!"

Thirteen scoffed. "You are truly brazen to your very core, yet the more you are, the more I find myself intrigued!" She pinched Angie's cheek. "Since you insist on plumbing the depths of my resolve, I shall speak plainly—I shall grant you formidable power, and I shall grant you the opportunity to depart the City of Penance and return to the mortal world. In exchange, you shall pledge your undying fealty to me, and aid me in subjugating Alex. Does this not sound like a most appealing proposition?"

Angie nodded vigorously. "A most excellent proposition, indeed. But are you truly capable of helping me depart the City of Penance?"

"Provided you make contact with the Life Tree's wall, I can extricate you from this place!"

Angie mused for a moment. "My family has already excavated deep within the bunker, reaching the inner wall of the Life Tree. I can divert the guards protecting that tunnel, but you must prove your capabilities to me at once!"

"Fourteen, attend to these corpses. I shall take the girl to observe!" With those words, Thirteen and Angie vanished from sight.

The tunnel from the bunker to the Life Tree's inner wall stretched merely five hundred meters deep. They swiftly reached their destination. Angie, leveraging her status as the Third Young Lady, easily dismissed the surrounding personnel. Standing within the cavern, spanning thirty to forty meters, she pointed to a segment of the Life Tree's inner wall beneath her feet. "This is the spot!"

No sooner had Angie spoken than Thirteen suddenly hurled a tree seed. Upon striking the inner wall, the seed instantly carved an opening large enough for two, as if wielded by a master sculptor. Thirteen then lifted Angie and leaped through. She inwardly mused, 'This tunnel was indeed well-excavated. Once our mission is accomplished, there will be no need to risk navigating that treacherous canyon again. We can depart directly from this point and proceed to rendezvous with Seventeen elsewhere!'

Verdant green light pulsed erratically, illuminating craggy, bone-like walls that stretched into an endless expanse. Angie gazed at the surrounding vista, utterly awestruck. "This… this is truly real… I am outside! I have finally escaped the City of Penance!"

Tracing the contours of the rugged walls, Angie was overcome with emotion, tears streaming down her face.

Yet, in the very next instant, a verdant glow emanated from Thirteen. She seized Angie, traversed back through the wall, and reappeared within the City of Penance's cavern, her gaze fixed coldly on Angie. Angie, bewildered, stared at the dim, gray grotto, then abruptly knelt. "Angie bows to Master!"

Thirteen gently caressed her forehead. "Address me as Captain. From this day forward, you are the Vice-Captain of the Scarlet Army's Thirteenth Squad. Your codename: Hongluan!"

"Hongluan? Yes, Captain! From this day forth, there is no longer Angie, only Hongluan!" Angie cast a swift glance around the cavern, then immediately sought to impress her new master with her shrewdness. "Captain, Alex is currently directing men to excavate this very cavern, while simultaneously tasking me with gathering Alchemical goods, his ultimate motives unknown! Should Captain require it, Hongluan will endeavor to assist your inquiry. Moreover, the Huhuhu Beasts have already advanced to within thirty li of the bunker's outer perimeter…"

At that moment, the Life Shortcut secretly communicated to Thirteen, "One of my brethren is currently held captive by Alex. His endeavors in excavating tunnels and collecting Alchemical goods are most likely connected to my brother's plight!"

Thirteen gave a cold, knowing smile. She, of course, had no intention of divulging such sensitive information to Hongluan. Instead, she merely stated, "Hongluan, I wish to capture Alex alive. Do you possess any viable strategies?"

Hongluan abruptly lifted her head. "Indeed, Captain! I dare not deceive you. To counter Alex, my sisters and I had long since devised a comprehensive strategy, though the opportune moment to implement it had yet to arise…" She then lowered her voice and disclosed her intricate plan!

"Excellent. We shall proceed precisely as you have outlined!" Thirteen retracted the tree seed, and the portal on the Life Tree's inner wall instantly sealed. "The King of the Huhuhu Beasts possesses considerable cunning. He has meticulously controlled the pace of his army's advance. Based on my extensive military experience, and assuming no unforeseen disruptions, the current hostilities are likely to be prolonged for approximately another month. During this month, I require you to…"

In the upper echelons of the Brockman Bunker, Du Chen and Xue Ji walked arm-in-arm back to their private chambers. The instant they stepped inside, a shared, awkward glance passed between them.

Xue Ji demurely lowered her gaze. "Mr. Alex, just now… I hope I haven't caused you any undue trouble?"

"No, what you did… you did exceedingly well…" Du Chen's lips felt stiff, unsure how to articulate his thoughts. Their hands remained clasped, their eyes meeting once more. Du Chen, his mind a whirlwind of emotions, suddenly found himself uttering, "You… can you truly wait for me for a millennium?"

Xue Ji, her face flushed crimson, nodded once. "Yes, I can!"

A hopeful flame seemed to ignite within Du Chen's heart with a sudden 'poof,' only for Xue Ji's very next words to douse it with icy precision. "My Master's Water's Embrace Secret Technique is truly wondrous beyond compare. Xue Ji can indeed await your success in planting the tree seed, so that you may return me to my Master's side…"

"Silly girl! Is that truly what I was inquiring about? Margaret, why must you utter such a jarring, mood-killing name?"

Du Chen shook his head, a bitter smile gracing his lips. "Then you should rest. I shall leave the Precious Lotus Scripture here to aid in your recovery!"

"Mmm, the Huhuhu Beasts are multiplying rapidly. You must exercise extreme caution!"

"I'm departing!"

"Mmm."

"Then… would you mind releasing my hand?" Du Chen asked, a flush of awkwardness rising to his face. His hand remained firmly clasped in Xue Ji's. Xue Ji, startled, poked out a tiny sliver of her tongue, then swiftly withdrew her hand to cover her mouth, turning her back. Her pretty cheeks were as red as ripe, blushing apples.

*Clang*—the sound of Du Chen slamming the door and beating a hasty retreat. Xue Ji seemed to shed a burden of a thousand jun, only then daring to turn her head. She let out a soft, mournful sigh, slowly closing her eyes as, inexplicably, the images of her sisters' Portraits flickered before her inner vision. These were followed by a somber procession of figures—Saint Bovin, captured alive by Margaret leading the Water's Embrace Puppet Legion, his battle qi utterly crippled before he was cast into the deadly Furnace of Oblivion! Flaying Glynn, his very soul shattered by Margaret; Roland, whose wife and children were ruthlessly slaughtered by Margaret; and Arthur's own father, Crown Prince Reno Choba, executed by his own progenitor and left to perish ignominiously in the streets…

To wed a woman from Water's Embrace Lake, it seemed, was to invite an ill fate… so long as Margaret yet lived!

"Alex, Xue Ji can indeed wait for you for a millennium, until Master peacefully reaches the end of her days! But you… can you wait for me until my beauty fades and my youth is gone?"

Time, as always, proved fleeting. Days bled into weeks. The Huhuhu Beasts had now advanced to within twenty li of the bunker's perimeter, and Pieres's methods of control grew ever more severe, escalating to a degree of horrifying brutality!

On this particular day, the Huhuhu Beast army once again seized over two thousand captives, a victory of uncommon scale. Yet, for this triumph, they had also left behind tens of thousands of their own dead. As the battle subsided, Pylos bellowed, his voice echoing fiercely, "Cease the assault! Begin processing the captives!"

The vast majority of Huhuhu Beasts, though seething with anger and reluctance, were cowed by their King's formidable authority. They roared their frustration but retreated into their battle formations. However, one audacious contingent, numbering some eight or nine thousand beasts, brazenly ignored Pylos's command, continuing to wail and press their advance!

Pieres exploded in a fit of rage. His colossal, mountain-like form leaped high, then slammed down with a thunderous impact directly before the defiant contingent. Dozens of Huhuhu Beasts were instantly pulverized by the shockwave, their blood and gore erupting in a macabre spray!

"Heh-gakka, you fools! Did you not hear the King's explicit command? Changxi, does your recent Sudden Surge in Power lead you to believe you can disregard your sovereign?"

The alpha Huhuhu Beast, though not as gargantuan as Pieres, still boasted a tail over a hundred meters in length. He had once been a feeble beast, but recently experienced a miraculous Sudden Surge in Power, expanding dozens of times over! This particular Huhuhu Beast pondered deeply, yet besides having consumed Changxi's corpse that fated day, he could recall no other extraordinary event that might explain his transformation!

And so, the nameless beast decided to call himself Changxi! Truly, a most Heh-gakka name!

Changxi gazed at the King's mountainous form, a flicker of fear in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by a fierce indignation. He turned and gestured to the contingent behind him. "Heh-gakka King, today, our kin have suffered over two hundred and seventy deaths from starvation!"

Pieres's expression darkened perceptibly, yet he bellowed once more, "Execute my command, do you hear me!? Or I shall Heh-gakka crush you beneath my heel!"

Changxi fixed his King with an enraged stare. "If you intend to crush me, then crush me! To be crushed by your might is still preferable to perishing from starvation!" He pounded his own belly. "In these past three days, I have subsisted solely on a single arm from a Violet-Blood! I, too, am on the brink of starvation!"

"We are starving as well!"

"Heh-gakka King, we refuse to Heh-gakka starve to death! Heh-gakka, simply crush us beneath your heel!" The entire contingent, numbering eight or nine thousand Huhuhu Beasts, bellowed in unison, their collective roar shaking the very heavens.

Pieres let out a weary sigh. "My brethren, how many times must I reiterate this? A period of deprivation now is for the sake of our future prosperity. Do you truly wish to consume every last Violet-Blood, only to then face starvation once more?"

It wasn't that the Huhuhu Beasts lacked understanding; almost all of them comprehended the dire predicament at hand: if the Violet-Bloods perished entirely, their own survival would be fleeting! But with one hand holding grand principles and the other grasping the brutal reality of imminent starvation, what choice were they to make!? Changxi roared in defiance, "If the Violet-Bloods are annihilated, we, too, shall starve! We comprehend these truths! But, King, we are ravenous! To hell with your Heh-gakka grand principles; all we desire now is to sate our aching bellies!"

With that declaration, he spearheaded the charge forward, his contingent surging close behind. With a leader now emboldening them, the remaining Huhuhu Beasts found their courage and began to stir, eager for battle!

"Heh-gakka!" Pieres roared, erupting in a paroxysm of fury. The horrifying vision that had plagued his mind since the day before yesterday resurfaced with chilling clarity. His colossal tail suddenly lashed out, sweeping through the rebellious contingent of Huhuhu Beasts. Changxi, bearing the initial impact, was sent hurtling skyward. *Thwack, thwack*—in that single devastating sweep, over a hundred Huhuhu Beasts were annihilated, reduced to nothing but pulped gore!

Pieres's icy gaze swept across the massed Huhuhu Beast horde. "Any who dare to repeat such Heh-gakka insubordination shall meet their end by my hand!"

The Huhuhu Beast horde instantly fell silent, their rebellious fervor quelled. Only the low, ragged breaths and the incessant 'grumble, grumble' of their starving bellies could be heard.

From the observation post across the bunker, Du Chen witnessed the unfolding scene and chuckled. "The Huhuhu Beasts are verging on internal rebellion!"

Steve nodded in agreement. Du Chen, however, suddenly tilted his head back, gazing intently at the ceiling. "A flawed evolution, seemingly without end… Dammit, what is this sensation?" To any outsider, his behavior would appear utterly nonsensical. Yet, the more he delved into the evolutionary history of the Huhuhu Beasts, the more profound and numerous the sentiments that stirred within his heart. He found himself utterly incapable of articulating precisely what this burgeoning feeling was, or how to aptly convey it through language.

But Du Chen knew one undeniable truth: the deeper this enigmatic sensation grew, the more intensely the Fourth Trigram Precious Lotus Scripture—which he had, until now, been utterly unable to activate—would stir and resonate within him!

Perhaps with further observation, the Fourth Trigram Precious Lotus Scripture might finally become accessible… Du Chen mused to himself.

At that moment, Chek pushed open the door and entered the observation post, depositing a package with a resounding 'thud.' He jubilantly declared, "We've secured three more components! Now, only the 'Azure Iron' remains elusive!" After Angie's recent antics, Du Chen no longer trusted her, hence he assigned Chek to take over her duties. Chek, having set down the items, departed with an eager haste, his countenance alight with hopeful anticipation.

Du Chen cast a quick glance at the package. Indeed, it held the very components he sought. Was it truly only a single piece of 'Azure Iron,' for kindling, that remained? A sudden pang of reluctance seized Du Chen. He genuinely yearned to linger here, to further immerse himself in the intricate evolutionary trajectory of the Huhuhu Beasts!

"By the heavens!" Chek had barely reached the doorway when an old man, rushing in from the opposite direction, stumbled into him, sending him reeling. "Third Uncle, what in the world are you doing?"

This elderly man was indeed Chek's Third Uncle, a venerable and trustworthy elder from the first generation of inhabitants. He brusquely pushed Chek aside and cried out in alarm, "Mr. Bell Glynn, Mr. Alex, Heidi has suddenly collapsed! It appears… she may not survive! You… you…"

Steve froze, startled. "Good heavens! Quickly, take me to her!" Chek, equally frantic, exclaimed, "Hurry! I must see her as well!"

The group hastily departed the bunker. At the tunnel entrance just outside the observation post, Angie, concealed in a shadowy recess, observed their every move. A cold, knowing smile played on her lips as she addressed the younger kin behind her. "The Captain has successfully utilized Heidi to divert Bell Glynn's attention. Alex, preoccupied with commanding the battle, remains unable to disengage… The stage is now set for us. If you yearn to escape the City of Penance, if you crave power, then follow me!"

With that declaration, she turned and strode purposefully towards the guest consultant's private chambers. There… Xue Ji was undergoing healing, protected by several members of the Brockman family's second generation!